Fr. Paul's Meditations for Church Year C

Eighth Sunday After Pentecost: Righteousness Through Faith - Romans 3:21 Apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known. Grace is more polite when being rude than Legalism is when being friendly. Think Legalism: To show is physical. Feel Grace: To show is something that is felt.  Read more

These are the end times for Jesus on this earth. He has set His face toward Jerusalem. Nothing will turn him back. He now sends seventy new disciples ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place where He Himself intends to go. “I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you.” Their mission is to cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.”  Read more

Seventh Sunday After Pentecost: Romans 3:20 No one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law. Legalism is like someone who after taking the trash out, gives the impression he just cleaned the whole house! Think Legalism: Prosperity is physically seen. Feel Grace: Prosperity is spiritually felt.  Read more

God declared War on Legalism when He sent His Word into the World. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us … full of grace and truth. Legalism fought back against the grace believing the Bible, not Jesus, is the word of God. Grace is based on the Two Great Love Commandments. All the Law and the Prophets have now been changed into “do the loving thing.” The New Command is to be in His Presence in order to Love one another. “Apart from me you can do nothing.”  Read more

Sixth Sunday After Pentecost: Romans 2:23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? Legalism is love at first sight until you take a second look Think Legalism: Speaking is audible Feel Grace: Speaking is sensing the meaning  Read more

There is a spiritual War going on between Grace and Legalism. The War was declared by legalism on the grace of God at the moment of the Incarnation when the Word of God became Flesh, full of grace and Truth. It is time to face the battle between grace and legalism by telling the truth.  Read more

Fifth Sunday After Pentecost: Jesus took legalistic words and gave them the grace meaning to consciously feel the difference being in the Presence of God in Him. The requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness. See Romans 2:15 I don't believe in grace. I rely on it!  Read more

In today’s story we have a woman who washed and wiped the feet of Jesus. She is forgiven. The question that arises is when was she forgiven? The old classic response is she repented and was then forgiven by Jesus. This is the way much of the church and bible teachers look at what happened. Spirituality looks at forgiveness differently. It looks at confession as an act of grace not of legalism.  Read more

Fourth Sunday After Pentecost: Jesus took legalistic words and gave them the grace meaning to consciously feel the difference being in the Presence of God in Him. Think Legalism: sin is an immoral act. Feel Grace: Sin is separation from God.   Read more

When the Lord saw the grieving widow, His Heart went out to her. He said, “Don’t cry.” Then He went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on. Jesus touched the coffin. He could not have touched the coffin unless the grieving mother had given Him the permission to do so. We talk a lot about giving things to God. We must be willing to give to God all that we own.  Read more